While the boys were gone...

Kai was Savannah's best buddy!  Savannah did have Owen and Weston around most of the week of the backpacking trip, but she spent a lot of time playing with Kai.  And Kai is supposed to be an outside dog, but she weasled her way in the house.  They were too cute to make the dog go outside.  

 

Yosemite Backpacking Trip

 Our anniversary trip was a nice little trip, but the real highlight of Alex's year was his 58 mile backpacking trip with the boys!  He had to plan quite a bit ahead of time to get reservations for camping spots in Yosemite, so he had been looking forward to this trip for a while.  Alex, Nathan, and Jared left really early in the morning on Monday, August 2nd (I think they left around 3:00am).  I took a few pictures of them the night before, because I wasn't getting up that early to see them off.  He took Nathan, Jared, and two of their friends for the first part of the trip (M-Th).  One of Alex's friends left on Thursday evening with Owen and 3 other boys to meet up with them for Friday and Saturday's part of the trek.  Another friend drove there to help with getting them back to their cars for the way home.  There were a lot of little things to coordinate.  They needed bear containers to pack their food in (a week's worth of food), had to pack everything out that they brought it, and they needed to filter water along the way too.  So they needed to know where they were going to get water.  Alex had their route all mapped out and all the details worked out.  Everything worked out pretty well, with probably the biggest challenge happening about 2 miles in on the first day.  The soles of Jared's boots broke off, so luckily Alex had some electrical tape that Jared used until Friday to hold his boots together.  Owen brought a second pair with him when he came.  They look pretty funny in the pictures with the bandanas hanging out of their hats, but at least they didn't get burned!  They didn't come across any bears either.  I think hanging out at night was a pretty fun part for the boys, but they did make it through all the walking during the day.  

They didn't get back until about 11:30pm on Saturday - stinky, dirty, and exhausted.  I think it was a long, tiring week, but a memorable one and they felt a sense of accomplishment.  Alex loved it and is already planning next year's trip.    

(Alex did think of me at least once during the week - he sent me a picture of the flowers since he knows I love wildflowers! 😊)   

New door

 I've been wanting to replace the front door ever since we moved in.  We finally ordered a new one in April...it didn't get in until June... and we got it installed in July.  Finally.  It looks and functions so much better.  There were times when our old door was shut and the wind blew it open somehow.  When it was particularly windy, the door would whistle because of the gap at the bottom.  It didn't have a deadbolt either, so this new one is much more secure.  It looks pretty too.  

The list

I always look forward to our new summer list, although the kids aren't excited about it.  I like to add something new every year or change things up a bit.  We were consistent about running 3 mornings a week throughout the school year, so we continued with that routine.  I also wanted to stick with our scripture and reading routine.  It's unfortunate that I have to include things on the list such as showering, brushing teeth, and meals, but they forget to do those if it's not on the list.  We weren't consistent during the school year with typing or piano, so I put those on the summer list for Owen, Weston, and Savannah.  Savannah and Owen have been interested in piano, but we can't seem to find consistency with lessons.  Weston didn't want to do piano, but I'm paying him off to do it, hoping that getting started will spark an interest in continuing with it.  It's extra incentive for Owen and Savannah too, as I made the same deal with them.  Chores isn't a new thing, but I decided to choose the work they're doing this year and only do them two days a week.  In the past, I've let them choose a chore or do a service for each other, but they were choosing things like "make the bed" for their sibling.  That's nice, but not so helpful in getting other chores done or something they should be doing on their own.  This summer, they've done yard work for me, washing the windows, picking up rotten fruit, or whatever needed done that week.  

The new thing we hadn't done before was indexing, which I added for Nathan, Jared, and Owen.  I took on the task as well, since I was asking them to do it, so I've been getting some good things done too.  We sometimes help each other when we need help deciphering what's on the census records.  It's easier for me to read the cursive than the boys, since they didn't have to learn how to write it.  That's one downfall of eliminating cursive in the school curriculum - they don't know how to read it either.  I've currently been working on Virginia marriage records, which has been pretty time consuming.  The boys have been grateful for the easier and shorter records from Liberia, since they have to complete a batch.  

Nathan has also been working for someone independently the last few weeks, doing an inventory, sorting, and beginning to sell or clean out things from the home of an elderly woman who passed away earlier this year.  The family is paying Nathan to help them go through all her things.  It's been good for him to have a job.  He applied to a few different places, like the grocery store and movie theater, yet despite all the hiring signs, no one has given him a call back for a job.  Maybe they don't want to hire teenagers?  Anyway, this job he's been doing is perfect, because it's flexible, he doesn't have to wear a mask, and can work independently.             

 

Anniversary trip

Leaving the kids last year for a couple nights worked well for our anniversary, so we headed out again this year for a 2-night getaway.  We went kayaking (the first time for me), hiking, played tennis, and went out to eat.  I didn't take hardly any pictures.  We did get cleaned up nice a couple nights to go out to dinner, but I didn't think to snap a photo.    

 

Pioneer Day

 We had fun at a pioneer day celebration - BBQ lunch with mini pies, face painting, games for kids, corn hole, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball.  Our friend Nathan played the banjo.  I loved being able to play volleyball.  

Alex, Nathan, Jared, and Owen had to help take things out there, put up signs and tents, and take things down.  They were out there most of the day (from about 10:00am-5:00pm).  They're good helpers.  Jared still helps take down the tents for primary at church now, since he knows how to take them apart.  

Weston's birthday

Weston had been looking forward to his birthday for a while.  He told us multiple times what he wanted for his birthday and where he wanted to eat.  What he didn't know about was the big stuffed pig that we found while in Kansas City, so he was surprised to see the big box and wondered what was inside.  I think he was pretty happy with it.  He still loves pigs and Legos.  He spent most of the day playing Legos.  The "chore of the day" for the rest of them was to play whatever Weston wanted to for a little bit, so they brought a bunch of Legos out to the kitchen table and had some sort of battle.      

He wanted French toast, eggs, and turkey bacon for breakfast, Chili's steak and lava cake for dinner, and apple pie for dessert (instead of cake).  He got both the cake from Chili's and apple pie because we celebrated twice - once on his birthday and a couple days later when Alex got home.  After apple pie and cookies 'n cream ice cream, we watched the movie Black Widow.  He had all his pigs, his popcorn, Cheezits, and Oreos there on the chair with him.  It was a good day!  

  

We finally cut Weston's hair!  It hadn't been cut since April 2020.  He didn't want to cut it, so we let it go.  He made a deal that I could give him $20 to cut it.  He had until January (when he becomes a deacon and passes the sacrament at church) to let it grow.  But I was getting tired of trying to get through it on Sundays for church, he was chewing on it and constantly messing around with it.  So he got his $20.  I made him take a picture with it in a pony tail before I cut it (he wasn't too happy about that, but I wanted to see what it looked like).  He looked like a girl.  His hair was longer than mine, but with thick curls, so I wasn't sure where to start.  I cut some big chunks off before trying to use the buzzer on it.  

I don't think he liked his new style very much at first, but he got used to the shorter length and likes it now.  Of course it doesn't look as pristine and polished as when I first cut and styled it, but the length is much better!